Mail-box.



1. H. MILLS.

- MAIL BOX. APPLIoATIoN FILED APB. 4. 1,910.

Patented July 12, 1910.

III

JOSEPH I-I. MILLS, OF DETROIT, TEXAS.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1910.

Application filed April 4, 1910. Serial No. 553,255.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH I-I. MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Lamar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mail boxes, and more particularly to mail boxes such as are used upon rural routes, and has for its object to provide a simply constructed device of this character which is so mounted that the carrier may readily move the same to deposit the mail in the box without leaving his wagon.

A further object is to provide means for automatically returning the box to its original position after the mail has been cleposited.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a perspective view of a mail box embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1, indicates a post or standard which is securely driven into the ground and is adapted to have arranged thereon the mail box 2. The mail box may be of any ordinary or approved construction and is mounted in a frame 8. This frame consists of the two spaced parallel members 4, each of which is bent at one end, as shown at 5. Between the extremities of the bent ends of the frame members, the mail box 2 is secured, said members extending through the ends of the box. The ends 5 of the frame members are also connected and braced by means of the rod or bar 6, which extends between the same, and connects said members adjacent to the mail box. Thus a very rigid and substantial supportin frame for the box is provided, and is a apted to withstand hard and long continued usage.

A block 7 is arranged upon the upper end of the post or standard 1. This block may be suliiciently heavy to retain its position thereon without the necessity of employing any additional securing means. A pintle rod 8 is fixed in the block 7 and extends beyond the opposite ends thereof. Upon this rod the opposed frame members 3 are pivotally mounted. The lower ends of these members are connected by a bar of iron or other metal 9, which serves as a weight whereby the frame is normally held parallel with the post, the mail box being above said post.

The cord l0 is secured to the center of the box and provides convenient means whereby the box may be moved upwardly and downwardly upon the upper end of the post, said cord being easily grasped by the postman from his position in the wagon. It will be obvious that when the cord is pulled, the box will be swung away from the post and the weight 9 elevated until the frame becomes horizontal. Upon releasing the cord 10 the box will assume its original position, owing to the descent of the weight 9, the intermediate portion of the weight engaging with the post to limit the movement of said frame.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple and convenient mail box and means for supporting the same, whereby the necessity of the postman leaving his wagon or other conveyance to deposit the mail in the box is entirely obviated.

The device may be erected at a very small cost, and is extremely convenient and efficient in use. It is also substantially constructed, and is adapted to withstand long and continued hard usage.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the device, it will be obvious that the same is susceptible to numerous minor modifications without materially departing from the essential fea tures or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

In a device of the character described, the combination with a frame having a receptacle pivotally mounted therein, of a post, said frame being pivotally mounted upon the upper end of said post and comprising spaced similar frame members arranged upon opposite sides of the post, said members being llaterally bent adjacent to their point of pivotal connection to the post, the ends of said frame members being bent at right angles to the lateral portions and disposed in parallel relation to the pivoted main portions thereof, a brace bar connecting the ends of said members, the ends of said braoe bar being disposed transversely to the ends of the frame, the intermediate portion of the bar extending in parallel relation to the receptacle and adapted to limit its pivotal movement between the frame members, and a Weight rigidly secured to the other ends of the frame members and adapted to engage With the post to normally position the receptacle above said 10 ost.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence oftvvo Witnesses.

JOSEPH I-I. MILLS.

lVitnesses F. L. BAILEY, W. L. MARONEY. 

